Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Elon Musk's WiFi Satellites Are Blocking Astronomers' Views Of The Sky

Elon Musk's WiFi Satellites Are Blocking Astronomers' Views Of The Sky

SpaceX launched 60 WiFi satellites last week, and hopes to launch thousands more.

Astronomers are worried that a small satellite swarm launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket firm last week will ruin deep space observations of distant stars and galaxies. And they are letting people know about it.


On Nov. 11, SpaceX launched 60 "Starlink" satellites into low-earth orbit, bringing its total constellation size to 122 -already one of the largest satellite networks in space. The company plans to eventually launch 12,000 of the small broadband satellites by the mid-2020s in order to deliver global high-speed internet from space. The project is slated to cost $10 billion.

And astronomers are worried the thousands of shiny objects will clutter their observations of the sky, based on the early returns from the latest launch, which set a train of satellites on course for final orbits 340 miles high at a 53 degree inclination with the equator.


"Satellite constellations can pose a significant or debilitating threat to important existing and future astronomical infrastructures," the International Astronomical Union said in a statement last June. The IAU said that reflected sunlight from the satellites will damage the sensitive optics of large observatory telescopes, and also interfere with new radio astronomy facilities.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory also said it was having "fruitful" discussions with SpaceX about minimizing interference with its observations from Starlink satellites.

Musk has acknowledged astronomer's concerns in a tweet, and said he was asking engineers to reduce the reflectivity of the satellites to lessen their impact on astronomy.


More recently, the American Astronomical Society voiced concern about the sheer number of planned satellites overwhelming the night sky and leading to space collisions, filling valuable orbits with dangerous debris. SpaceX competitor OneWeb is planning its own giant constellation of broadband satellites starting in 2020.

Astronomers have little legal recourse for the light pollution from the satellites, space writer Jeff Foust of SpaceNews has noted. Space launches are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and the satellites are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.

Another two launches of Starlink satellites are planned for the rest of 2019.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×